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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29788317">A Family Of His Own</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AShortWalkToDelinquency/pseuds/AShortWalkToDelinquency'>AShortWalkToDelinquency</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Under the B: Buddie (a mostly fluff/smut bingo card) [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1 (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Comfort, Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Kissing, Love Confessions, M/M, Nightmares, Sharing Clothes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 03:08:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,853</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29788317</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AShortWalkToDelinquency/pseuds/AShortWalkToDelinquency</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>For the bingo square: sharing clothes</p><p>"Buck!"</p><p>The panicked shout breaks the night, echoing down the hall, and not for the first time that week. Not even for the first time that night.</p><p>It's been well over a year since the Tsunami, and Christopher has been recovering beautifully, recovering with the resiliency that only children seem capable of, but that doesn't mean there haven't been hiccups.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Evan "Buck" Buckley &amp; Christopher Diaz &amp; Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Under the B: Buddie (a mostly fluff/smut bingo card) [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2189601</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>418</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Family Of His Own</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>*waves*</p><p>Hi! I'm pretty new to the fandom but I already like it here ❤ </p><p>So a lovely friend made me a bingo card of fluffy and smutty prompts for these beautiful boys. I hope you enjoy this first entry!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Buck!"</p><p>The panicked shout breaks the night, echoing down the hall, and not for the first time that week. Not even for the first time that night.</p><p>It's been well over a year since the Tsunami, and Christopher has been recovering beautifully, recovering with the resiliency that only children seem capable of, but that doesn't mean there haven't been hiccups.</p><p>Every now and again, something will trigger those memories for him, and he'll have a few rough days. Or, more specifically, a few rough nights. The nightmares return, breaking into what should be the sweetest of dreams with a determination that leaves both Buck and Eddie feeling helpless and horrible. It's been happening less and less, thank God, but it's never any less heartbreaking.</p><p>The last go round, nearly three months ago, Christopher started calling out for Buck, and was inconsolable when Eddie had to tell him that Buck was at home, asleep. When Eddie told Buck about it at the station the next day, Buck immediately suggested letting Christopher call him the next time it happened.</p><p>~~~</p><p>
  <em>"You sure?" Eddie asks, looking equal parts relieved and guilty, and Buck can tell just how much it means to him that Buck would offer, and how ashamed he feels about not being able to help his son the way Christopher needs at the moment.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Of course!" Buck says, reaching out to give Eddie's bicep a pat, aiming to lighten the mood and ease the worry from the man's face. He may, perhaps, let his hand linger just a moment too long, but other than a contemplative look from Eddie, nothing more is said about it. At least, not at first.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And not at just past three o'clock in the morning, when Eddie calls Buck, the sounds of Christopher's soft cries in the background, washing gently through the phone only to land like daggers in Buck's heart.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hey, man, I'm sorry to wake you," Eddie says quietly, genuine remorse ringing his voice in a way that makes Buck's stomach twist on itself.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Nah, it's fine, I wasn't sleeping anyways," Buck lies, scrubbing the sleep from his eyes and levering himself up in bed. He even makes sure to flip the light on, forcing his brain to wake up just a little bit faster. "Can I talk to him?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yeah, hold on a second," Eddie breathes out a sigh of relief, and then his words turn muffled as he pulls the phone away from his face to speak to Christopher. "Hey pal, you want to talk to Buck?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>There's a small sniffle before Christopher's voice comes on the line, heartbreakingly small and frightened. "Buck?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hey, buddy," Buck says with a smile, knowing that Christopher will hear the simple joy in his voice, even as he swallows around the lump in his throat. "I heard you had a bad dream. You wanna talk about it?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I was lost," Christopher says, his voice wavering at the admission. "And there was a lady."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They stay on the phone for nearly an hour, with Christopher in Eddie's arms and Buck on the other end of the line, both men doing everything in their power to make Christopher understand that there's nothing to fear. Between the two of them, they eventually get Christopher back to sleep.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The next night plays out much the same. A phone call at two in the morning, a slow and reassuring conversation, and warmth in Buck's chest as he eventually goes back to sleep, knowing that Christopher is safe and happy.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The night after that, Buck sleeps over at Eddie's, spending the night on the couch so he can be nearby if Christopher needs him. Which he does.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>After that night, the nightmares stop. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>But something new and exciting — and a little bit terrifying — starts between Buck and Eddie.</em>
</p><p>~~~</p><p>Buck slips from bed without a second thought, grabbing a t-shirt from the end of the bed to pull on as he jogs down the hall to Christopher's room. As expected, Christopher is sitting up in bed, his hair sleep-mussed and his pyjamas tangled from tossing and turning, a sure sign of the nightmare from which he's just woken.</p><p>"Hey, buddy," Buck says, hurrying over, but waiting until Christopher reaches out before he sits on the side of the bed, leaning up against the headboard. Christopher tucks into his side before he's even settled, and Buck wraps an arm around his shoulder, completely uncaring of the sweat that's soaking through Christopher's pyjamas. "Another nightmare?"</p><p>"Yeah," Christopher sniffles against his shirt, pulling him even closer.</p><p>"You wanna talk about it?" Buck asks, rubbing a hand soothingly up and down Christopher's arm. It's hit and miss as to whether or not Christopher wants to talk about his dreams or wants to ignore them completely and just soak in the presence of Buck or Eddie.</p><p>"Maybe. It was scary," Christopher says. He's already calming down, the slight tremble that's racking his body fading away as he starts to breathe a little slower, unconsciously mimicking Buck's steady inhales and prolonged exhales.</p><p>Buck waits for Christopher to keep talking, expecting to hear about the tsunami and the things that he saw, the fear of being washed away. He's surprised, therefore, when Christopher finally speaks again.</p><p>"You smell like dad."</p><p>Buck's mouth opens and closes, unsure of what to say. Christopher knows that Buck and Eddie's relationship changed a few months ago when they started dating; Eddie talked to Christopher about it alone and then the three of them sat down together to discuss any concerns Christopher might have, so it's not as though there are any secrets floating around.</p><p>(The relief Buck felt when Christopher expressed only excitement about their new relationship status was so overwhelming that he actually got a little light-headed. He knew damn well that both he and Eddie would have been willing to end things in a heartbeat if Christopher wasn't on board. That kid means more to both of them than anything else ever could, and nothing, not even their rapidly growing feelings for one another, would ever be put above Christopher's well-being.)</p><p>Christopher even knows that when Buck started sleeping over a couple nights ago — when the nightmares started again — that he slept in Eddie's room rather than on the couch. Even still, Buck isn't quite sure if it's his place to delve into a deeper conversation with Christopher about exactly why he smells like Eddie.</p><p>He's saved from answering at all by Eddie's presence in the doorway, leaning on the door jam with a soft smile pulling at his lips and a glass of water in his hand. "That's because Buck is wearing dad's shirt."</p><p>Buck looks down, only now noticing that Eddie is, indeed, right. In his haste to get to Christopher, he grabbed the first shirt he came across: a well-loved (and wonderfully soft, he's just now realizing) brown t-shirt that Eddie often wears on his days off. And as Buck lifts his gaze back up to Eddie, ready to apologize for accidentally swiping his clothes, he stops short as he realizes that Eddie is standing there, grinning at Buck's wide-eyed gaze, in Buck's rather lived-in grey t-shirt.</p><p>Buck finds himself liking the look of Eddie in his clothes quite a lot, but gently nudges that thought to the back-burner to dwell on later.</p><p>"And you're in Buck's shirt!" Christopher laughs lightly, the faint shake of his shoulders feeling infinitely different against Buck's torso, knowing it's amusement this time, not fear, that's quaking Christopher's body. It makes Buck smile so wide that he can feel his eyes crinkle up at the corners.</p><p>"Yeah, buddy, I borrowed Buck's shirt because he took mine." Eddie walks into the room, sitting on the other side of Christopher's bed, facing the headboard so he can easily see both Christopher and Buck as he hands the glass of water to his son.</p><p>Christopher takes a few slow sips of the water and Buck takes advantage of the time to scrutinize Eddie. The man always looks a little worse for wear when Christopher is struggling, but right now, while he certainly looks exhausted, he also seems surprisingly content.</p><p>And Buck realizes that he is, too.</p><p>He couldn't be more thankful that he wound up sleeping over that last night of Christopher's nightmares all those months ago. The night that everything changed.</p><p>~~~</p><p>
  <em>Christopher falls asleep shortly after four in the morning, sandwiched between Eddie and Buck, who are propped up against the headboard on either side of him. He'd talked about his nightmare, cuddled up against them both, and fought sleep until his tired eyelids lost the battle and closed for the night, finally finding peace with his face resting on Eddie's stomach.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Eddie continues to run his fingers through Christopher's hair long after he falls asleep, and Buck can't seem to tear his eyes away from the tender motion, letting it soothe his own inner turmoil as much as it soothes the little boy who'd been lulled to sleep by the touch. Eddie's love for his son never fails to tug at Buck's heartstrings, but after spending the night at their house — and spending the last hour together with Christopher, assuring him that he's safe, that Buck's safe, that he doesn't need to worry about another tsunami separating them ever again — Buck's heart feels like it may just burst.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Thank you, Buck," Eddie murmurs, pulling him from his reverie. He keeps his voice low and even, making sure they don't wake Christopher now that he's finally settled down. With any luck, he'll be able to manage at least a few more hours of sleep before it's time to wake up for the day. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"It was nothing," Buck whispers in return, waving off the gratitude as entirely unnecessary. He's more than happy to help. Always. He loves Christopher like he's his own kid. Maybe even wishes that he was. His heart begins a wild patter in his chest as he thinks what it would be like to be a family with Eddie and Christopher. It's not something he can truly let himself consider, though; the farther he gets into that particular daydream, the more crushing it is when he's pulled back to reality. </em>
</p><p><em>"It's not nothing," Eddie says, his eyebrows furrowing as his gaze rakes over Buck's face. There's less than two feet separating them and suddenly Buck feels just how close they are. He should move — he</em> knows <em>he should move — but Christopher's hand is still wrapped tightly around his own, and Buck doesn't want to let go. And if he's honest with himself, the only thing he really wants to do is move closer. To close that gap between them and taste Eddie's lips like he's been wanting to do for so long. His eyes drift down to trace the cupid's bow, to admire the plush curve of that full lower lip, but then his attention swiftly snaps back to those beautiful brown eyes, stunned by the intensity as Eddie whispers, "It's not nothing, Buck. It's everything."</em></p><p>
  <em>He doesn't know what to say to that, but he doesn't have long to struggle for the words that suddenly seem so impossible. In what feels like ultra slow-motion (but still happens far more quickly than Buck ever would have suspected), Eddie is leaning in, closing the space between them just like Buck wanted to do, and suddenly his heart is beating so fast that he's worried it may actually wake Christopher.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But then…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Then Eddie's lips are pressing lightly against his own, feeling infinitely softer than Buck ever imagined. It's gentle, hesitant at first, like Eddie isn't sure if he's reading the situation wrong, if he's crossing a line that they never should have been anywhere near. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Buck's quiet moan (he refuses to think of it as a whimper), seems to make that hesitancy disappear between one fluttering heartbeat and the next.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The kiss doesn't go any deeper, not with Christopher still resting between them, but the doubt seems to fall away from them both, and by the time they pull back, both men are grinning like lovesick fools.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Perhaps that's exactly what they are.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"We're gonna need to talk about this," Eddie whispers, still so close that the words brush lightly over Buck's lips.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I'd like that," Buck whispers back.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He'd like that an awful lot, he thinks.</em>
</p><p>~~~</p><p>Christopher drinks the last of the water, handing the cup to Eddie to put on the nightstand as he settles back against Buck's side, his eyelids already drooping as nights of fatigue catch up with him. The fact that he's ready for sleep so quickly after his nightmare leads Buck to believe that maybe this round of nightmares is coming to an end. He certainly hopes so. Christopher deserves a peaceful sleep and it hurts to watch him battle the memories that still haunt him.</p><p>They don't even need to talk it out this time. Just the presence of Eddie and Buck is sufficient for Christopher to feel safe enough to drift off. They wait until he's well and truly lost in a deep, healing slumber before they work together to gently settle him back in bed, leaving him to find the rest he deserves.</p><p>Eddie keeps the door open a crack as they leave Christopher's room, then wraps an arm around Buck's waist and tugs him close as they amble back to Eddie's bedroom, leaning into one another's presence as they go. It's kind of new for Buck, this casual intimacy, but he's already grown accustomed to it. Already wonders how he went so long without it.</p><p>The lights are off in the bedroom, both men having left without ever flicking the lamp on in their hurry to be there for Christopher. Only the soft glow of the streetlights from outside, filtering in through the lightweight curtains over the window, light up the path to their bed. It's more than enough, though. Buck already knows this room as if it were his own.</p><p>Standing next to the mattress, on what's become <em>his</em> side of the bed, Buck runs his thumb along the seam of the t-shirt he's accidently found himself in, not even bothering to fight the way his lips tug up at the corners as he considers the domesticity of it all.</p><p>"It looks good on you," Eddie says as he tugs his shirt — Buck's shirt — over his head and tosses it on the foot of the bed.</p><p>As much as Buck liked the look of Eddie in his clothes, he likes the way he looks <em>out</em> of them a whole lot more.</p><p>"You too," Buck says, slowly pulling the t-shirt up and off, luxuriating in the soft slide over his skin. Even once it's off, he can still smell Eddie on him.</p><p>He likes that.</p><p>In no time at all they're curled back up in bed, with Eddie pressed up against his back, an arm draped lightly over Buck's waist, holding him close as he peppers Buck's shoulder with soft, lazy kisses.</p><p>"You're so good with him," Eddie murmurs. The exhaustion is heavy in his voice and Buck knows he'll be asleep in a matter of minutes. Instead of an answer, Buck merely gives Eddie's hand a squeeze where it's splayed flat over Buck's stomach. "Thank you for being here. For him. For me."</p><p>The words are barely out of Eddie's mouth before his breathing begins to slow, the telltale signs of sleep puffing deep and even over the back of Buck's neck.</p><p>As tired as Buck is, he's not quite ready to drift off just yet. The last few nights have been challenging, yes, but rewarding in a way that Buck doesn't think he's ever experienced before. Being a part of something bigger than just himself — being there for Christopher, and exploring this new relationship with Eddie — has been...remarkable. So much more than anything he could've hoped for, and he just wants to bask in it a little longer. And so he closes his eyes and snuggles back against Eddie's chest, reveling in the comfort of the warm embrace.</p><p>Whether it's the tender hold or the tranquility that seems to have settled over them all, Buck feels a sudden surge of something like bravery coursing through his veins, allowing him to finally say the words he's been feeling for a while now, but has lacked the courage to say out loud. He thinks it might be cheating, just a little, to say it when Eddie's asleep, but he tries not to dwell on that too much. "Goodnight Eddie. I love you."</p><p>Sleep comes to claim him faster than he was expecting now that he's relaxed and content in Eddie's arms, but just as he's about to drift off, a sleepy but sincere response just barely breaks the hush of the night as the soft brush of lips tickles over the skin at the base of his neck.</p><p>"I love you, too."</p><p>Buck falls asleep with a smile on his face and an overwhelming amount of love in his heart, finally having found a family of his own.</p>
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